The Delicious World of Foods That Start With “B”
Sometimes, the most fun ways to learn about food are a little unconventional. Exploring the world of food alphabetically is a great way to learn about different cuisines, histories, and even cooking techniques. From common staples to exotic delicacies, a letter-by-letter exploration of food can be a real adventure.
This article dives into the world of foods that start with “B.” We’ll explore everything from well-known favorites to some maybe-not-so-familiar ingredients. We’ll look at what they are, where they come from, and how you might use them in your own kitchen. Hopefully, this will inspire you to try something new.
We’ll cover a broad range of foods, broken down into categories like fruits, vegetables, dishes, and ingredients. For each entry, we’ll give you a brief description, some info on its origin (if we know it), and ideas about how you can use it in your cooking.
So, buckle up and get ready for a culinary journey through the wonderful world of foods with B!
Fruits and Vegetables Starting with “B”
When you’re trying to eat a more varied diet, it can be helpful to focus on a particular letter and brainstorm all the foods you can think of that start with that letter. If you’re looking for fruits and vegetables that start with “B,” here are some ideas:
Common fruits and vegetables
- Bananas: This global staple is known for its high potassium content and versatility. Eat it raw, blend it into smoothies, bake it into bread, or fry it as a plantain.
- Blueberries: These little berries are packed with antioxidants and are delicious eaten fresh, stirred into muffins or pancakes, or swirled into yogurt.
- Beets: This root vegetable has a distinctive earthy flavor that’s delicious roasted, pickled, juiced, or tossed into salads.
Less common fruits and vegetables
- Blood orange: This citrus delight has crimson-colored flesh and is delicious eaten fresh, juiced, made into marmalade, or used as a garnish.
- Bok choy: This Chinese cabbage has a mild flavor that makes it perfect for stir-frying, steaming, adding to soups, or even eating raw in salads.
- Brussels sprouts: These miniature cabbages grow on a stalk and are tasty roasted, steamed, sautéed, or shredded in salads. They’re at their peak from September to February.
Unique and exotic “B” fruits
- Babaco: This tropical fruit is a natural hybrid of two other fruits and is often eaten fresh or used in desserts and juices.
- Buddha’s hand: This fragrant citrus fruit has finger-like sections and is primarily used for its zest and fragrance in perfumes and liquors.
Grains, legumes, and nuts starting with “B”
Did you know that a lot of nutritious grains, legumes, and nuts start with the letter “B”? Here are a few of the most common and how people use them in the kitchen.
Grains
- Barley: This versatile cereal grain is used in soups, stews, and as a side dish. It’s also malted and used to brew beer.
- Basmati rice: This long-grain rice is known for its fragrance and fluffy texture. It’s often served as a side dish or used in pilafs and biryanis.
- Buckwheat flour: This gluten-free flour is made from buckwheat seeds and often used in pancakes, crepes, and soba noodles.
Legumes
- Black beans: These small, black beans have a creamy texture. They’re used in soups, stews, burritos, and salads.
- Broad beans: These large, flat beans are often shelled and cooked by boiling, steaming, or sauteeing. They’re often used in salads and dips.
- Black-eyed peas: These creamy, mild-flavored beans have a black “eye.” They’re traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck and used in soups, stews, and salads.
Nuts
- Brazil nuts: These large, crescent-shaped nuts are rich in selenium. Eat them as a snack, or chop them and add them to salads or desserts. If you store Brazil nuts in the freezer, they’ll stay fresh for up to a year.
Meats and seafood starting with “B”
If you’re looking for foods that start with the letter “B,” here’s a list of meats and seafood to get you started:
Meats
- Bacon: This crispy breakfast classic is made from cured pork belly and has a smoky flavor and crispy texture. You can eat it as a breakfast side or add it to sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.
- Beef: This culinary staple comes from cattle and is available in a variety of cuts, each with its own texture and flavor. You can grill, roast, braise, or grind it and use it in steaks, roasts, stews, and burgers. Examples of beef cuts include brisket, cheeks, chuck, flank, Kobe, tenderloin, round, short ribs, and skirt. (Did you know that Kobe beef has to be aged for at least 26 months?)
- Bresaola: This air-dried, salted beef is aged for two or three months until it becomes hard and turns a dark red color. It’s often served thinly sliced as an antipasto, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.
Seafood
- Bass: This versatile fish has a mild, flaky white flesh that you can bake, grill, pan-fry, or steam.
- Blue crab: This coastal delicacy has blue claws and can be found along the Atlantic coast. You can steam or boil it or use it in crab cakes, soups, and stews.
- Bonito flakes: These umami bombs are made from dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna, shaved into thin flakes. They’re often used as a topping for Japanese dishes like okonomiyaki and takoyaki, adding a savory umami flavor.
Dishes and Prepared Foods Starting with “B”
If you’re looking to add more “B” foods to your diet, there are plenty of dishes and prepared foods to choose from. Here are a few:
Bread and Baked Goods
- Bagel: This chewy bread roll with a hole in the center is delicious toasted and topped with cream cheese, lox, or other spreads. You can also use it for sandwiches.
- Baguette: A long, thin loaf of French bread with a crisp crust, a baguette is perfect with soups, salads, or cheeses, and it makes a great sandwich.
- Baklava: This rich, sweet pastry is made of layers of filo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. Enjoy it as a dessert or snack.
- Banana Bread: A moist, sweet bread made with mashed bananas, banana bread is the ultimate comfort food. It’s great as a snack or dessert.
- Biscotti: These dry, crunchy cookies are baked twice for maximum crispness. They’re traditionally served with coffee or dessert wine.
- Brioche: A rich, buttery bread made with eggs and butter, brioche can be used for sandwiches, French toast, or as a side dish.
Sauces and Condiments
- Balsamic Vinegar: This dark, syrupy vinegar is made from aged grape must. Drizzle it over salads, cheeses, or grilled vegetables, or use it in marinades and sauces.
- Béarnaise Sauce: A classic emulsion sauce made of clarified butter emulsified in egg yolks and flavored with tarragon and shallots, béarnaise sauce is delicious with steak, eggs, or vegetables.
- Béchamel Sauce: A basic white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk, béchamel sauce is a versatile base for other sauces. It’s also used in gratins and lasagna.
Other Dishes
- Baba Ghanoush: This smoky dip is made from roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Serve it with pita bread, vegetables, or as a spread.
- Burrito: A Southwestern staple, a burrito is a flour tortilla filled with meat, beans, rice, and other ingredients. It’s a popular Mexican-American dish.
- Bisque: This smooth, creamy soup is typically made with seafood. Enjoy it as an appetizer or main course.
Ingredients and Flavor Enhancers Starting with “B”
- Baking Powder: This is a chemical leavening agent. You’ll use it to help cakes, cookies, and other baked goods rise.
- Baking Soda: Also called sodium bicarbonate, this is another chemical leavening agent. It’s often combined with an acidic ingredient. You can test baking soda for freshness by mixing ½ cup of hot water and ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar, and then adding ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. If it fizzes, it’s fresh.
- Bay Leaves: These dried bay laurel leaves add flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. Add them while the liquid simmers to release their subtle, aromatic flavor. Remove them before serving.
- Black Pepper: Made from dried peppercorns that have been ground, black pepper is a very versatile spice. Use it to season just about anything.
- Bouillon: This dehydrated broth or stock comes in cubes or powder. It’s an easy way to add flavor to soups, stews, and sauces.
In Summary
We’ve taken a tasty tour through the world of foods that start with the letter “B,” from fruits and vegetables to meats, grains, and prepared dishes. Each of these foods offers its own unique flavors, textures, and culinary possibilities.
I hope you’ll feel inspired to try a new food from this list or experiment with different recipes and cooking methods featuring some of these “B” ingredients. It’s also fun to learn about the origins and history of different foods to deepen your culinary experience.
The world of food is so vast and fascinating, and exploring it alphabetically is a unique and engaging way to approach it. From the humble banana to the decadent baklava, foods starting with “B” offer a wealth of culinary delights just waiting to be discovered.